Born in 1973 Amuda, Syria
Lives and works in Canada
Khadija Baker is a Montreal-based, multidisciplinary artist of Kurdish-Syrian descent (born 1973 in Amuda, Syria). Baker immigrated to Canada from Syria in 2001; she completed her MFA studies at Concordia University 2012. She is a core member of the Centre for Oral History & Digital Storytelling (COHDS) at Concordia University. Her installations investigate social and political themes centered on the uncertainty of home as it relates to persecution, identity, displacement, and memory. As a witness to traumatic events, unsettled feelings of home are a part of her experience. Her multidisciplinary installations often combine textiles, sculpture, performance, sound and video, and involve participative storytelling and performance to create active spaces for greater understanding. Baker continues her research creation at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture (CISSC) at Concordia University.
Education:
2017. PhD Humanity and interdisciplinary studies, Concordia University, Montreal, QC
2009-2012. Master of Fine Arts in Open media, Studio Arts, Concordia University, Montreal, QC
1997-1999. Postgraduate Diploma in Fin-arts, Department of interior design, Damascus, Syria
Selected Solo exhibitions:
2021. Upcoming, CAFKA – Contemporary art Biennale, Kitchener, ON
2019. Birds crossing borders, performative art workshop, Lethbridge University, Alberta
2019. Birds crossing borders, performance, Centre for Culture and Community, Lethbridge, Alberta
2019. Untitled, residency and presnataion, Mentoring Artists for Women's Art (MAWA), Manitoba
2019. 2017 au 14 janvier 2018 : Centre Lethbridge, arrondissement St-Laurent, Stuart Hall, Montreal, QC
2019. Birds crossing borders1, installation, Montréal, arts interculturels (M.A.I), Montreal, QC
2017. In the presence of the absent, performance at Darling Foundation, Montreal, QC
2017. Behind Walls/Maps, (installation) Karash-Masson Gallery, Ottawa, ON
2017. Untitled, residency and presnataion, Mentoring Artists for Women's Art (MAWA), Manitoba
2017 - 2018. Centre Lethbridge, arrondissement St-Laurent
2017. In the presence of the abesent, performance at Darling Foundation, Montreal, QC
2017. Nov, Behind Walls/Maps, (installation) Karash-Masson Gallery, Ottawa, ON
2015. When Spirits Awaken, (multimedia & performance), 101 Gallery, Ottawa, ON
2014. Sing your song map our dreams, interactive online project at LA Fabrique Culturelle, QC
2014. May, Don’t leave me.. I am still alive, (multimedia), Accès-Asie Festival &OBORO, Montreal, QC
2011. Unravelling Empire (multimedia), ASpace gallery& FADO Performance, Toronto, ON
2010. Miramar/Transformation, interactive installation, Le PARC, Vidéographe, Montréal, QC
2008. Behind Walls, (multimedia) Montréal, arts interculturels (M.A.I), Montreal, QC
2007. Coffin/Nest, (multimedia), Montréal arts interculturels (M.A.I) Gallery, Montreal, QC
Selected group exhibitions:
2019. Speaking Across Mountains, MEI (Middle Est Institute), D.C., US
2017. Road through Kurdistan, Curated by Richard Wilding and Mariwan Jalal, London UK
2017. Blue beard today’s tale,2019, Photophobia:Contemporary Moving Image Festival, Hamilton, ON
2017. Birds Crossing Borders, installation, Atassi Foundation, Dubai
2017. “Don’t leave me I am alive”, installation, Alita - Byblos, Lebanon
2017. In the presence of the abesent, performance at Darling Foundation, Montreal, QC
2017. Come wash with us, (Tasht collective)Berkshire Conference of Women Historians, NYC, USA1
2017. Pardon,(screening), 23rd International Video Art Festival d (FIAV), Casablanca, Maroc
2017. Grieving Empire (multimedia), ASpace gallery, Toronto, ON
2017. The blue beard today’s tale, La 35 e édition des Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, QC.
2016. “Pardon”, 29Th Instant Video festival, Marseille, Fr• Oct, Home Songs-letters, Video Installation, at Transart Triennale 2016 Berlin & the 2016 London Biennale MANILA Pollination
2016. "home-less-ness", (installation), Istanbul International Triennial, Istanbul, Turkey
2016. Syrian Weeding, Terra Traces At La Centrale, Montreal, QC
2016. TRAJECTOIRES, Espaceproject, Montreal, QC
2016. Restrictions Of The Earth, Karşı Sanat, Istanbul, Turkey & Hinterland, Vienna, Austria
2015. "Syria Speaks", (animation) 6th DocuAsia Forum, Vancover, BC
2015. I am alive, (animation), International Exile Film Festival, Gothenburg, Sweden
2015. When Mona Liza, Artheum – Beirut, Lebanon
2015. “My Little voice can’t lie”, DIVISION GALLERY, Montreal
2015. The State of Origion: Reel & Imagined, Maison de la culture Cote-Des-Neigs, Montreal
2015. I am alive, animation, Alwan gallery shortlisted for 3ed annual video competition, NYC, USA
2015. Tracing Traces, video installation, Diyrbakir, Turkey
2015. Identity, video installation, Cedar Ridge gallery, Toronto
2014. Nov, “Don’t leave me.. I am still alive”, 27Th Instant Video festival, Marseille, Fr
2014. State of origin: Reel& imagined, (screening), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
2014. La Femme Syrienne Est Une Révolution, (screening), presented by Hala Alabdalla, Paris, Fr
2014. Home Songs, (screening), Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM), ON
2014. Syrian Wedding, (screening), MS University, Faculty of Fine Arts Baroda & India
International Art Fair (Delhi), India
International Art Fair (Delhi), India
2014. "The Last supper", at The VENUE Aswak Beirut, Soldiere, Beirut, Lebanon
2014. “My little voice Can’t lie”, (performance), Art Souterrain&Nuit Blanche, Montreal, QC
2013. Nov, Counter Memories, multimedia& life performance, Alwan gallery, NYC, USA(2 person show)
2013. (video screening), Syria Contemporary Art Fair, Beirut, Lebanon
2013. 011+91, (video installation), Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM), ON
2013. Dislocations, (video installation), CONTACT Photo Festival, Toronto, ON
2013. Home Songs (video installation), the 2ed Biennale of IZMIR, Turkey
2013. I Will Talk To You Silently Today (multimedia), CEREV Centre For Ethnographic Research and Exhibition in the Aftermath of Violence, in collaboration with Oral history Concordia University, Montreal, QC
2013. Le 7e register,(video&installation), SAVAC at M.A.I gallery, Montreal, QC
2012. SPLICE:“My little voice Can’t Lie”( performance), Blackwood Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2012. All our relations: Quand vous réveillez les esprits (multimedia installation, performance), the 18th Biennale of, Sydney, Australia
2012. “My Little Voice Can’t Lie” (performance), OFTTA festival, Montréal, QC
2011. Aug, Dix jours à vaincre les mortes-eaux (performance), Circa Art Gallery, Montréal, Q
2011. ”My Little Voice Can’t Lie” (performance), FOFA gallery, Montreal, QC
2010. Equal Spaces (performance), Eclectic M.A.I Gallery, Montreal, QC
2010. Miramar/Rebirth(screening), (IDFF) International Diaspora Film Festival, Toronto, ON
2009. Memory/Traces of my body (screening), 22nd Festival Les Instants Vidéo, Marseille, France
2009. Totico (screening), The 1st New York Kurdish Film Festival, New York, USA
2009. La Folie, Memory/Traces of my body (video screening) - Inbetweeners of Asia, Transart Institute at Tanzfabrik, Berlin, Germany.
2009. Memory/Traces of my body (video screening) - The Bhavan art gallery, London, UK
2009. La Folie, Memory/Traces of my body(screening) - Eclectic-2009, (M.A.I), Montreal, QC
2009. Coffin/Nest, (installation) Al Mashgal Contemporary art center Damascus, Damascus UNESCO Arab Capital of Culture 2008, Damascus, Syria
2008. Walls Talks, (installation), Accès-Asie Festival, group show, Mile End Library, Montreal, QC
2008. Á Fleur Du Peau, (photography) travelling show, Maison de la Culture & Consulat général
d’Algérie, Montréal, QC
2007. Image and Identity: Coffin-Nest (video), International Women’s Museum (IWOM), San Francisco, USA
2007. Totico, (animation) - The 5th London Kurdish Film Festival, London, UK
Bursaries and Awards:
2020. Cultural Diversity in Visual Arts Award winner.
2017. Faculty of Fine Arts fellowship, Concordia University
2015. Canada Council for the arts (CAC), research and creation grant award
2014. Canada Council for the arts travel grant award
2014. CALQ & Tele Quebec, project grant award
2014. OBORO Interval 2014 residency & production assistance at new media lab
2014. Special Mention for an Outstanding Artistic Production for Excellence in Oral History
2012. Canada Council for the arts, research and creation grant award
2011. Canada Council for the arts project award and travel grant award
2011. Small Grant Program (CUSGP), Concordia University
2011. The Joyce Melville Memorial Scholarship award
2011. MFA travel grant, Concordia University
2010. Programme de recherche et expérimentation, Vidéographe
2009. Artistic Career Management Training session, Diversité Artistique Montréal (DAM) and (CAC )
2009. The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Vivacite grant award
2008. OBORO Production Assistance award
2008. (Montréal, arts interculturels) M.A.I Gallery grant project production assistance
2007. Selected for MAI mentorship program and residency for visual art program
2007. George Balcan Bursary for Painting and Drawing award
2006. Millennium Scholarships, Concordia University
2006. The Arab World Bursary (In-Course Bursary), Concordia University
2005. Fall - Winter Special Project bursary (Studio Arts), Concordia University
Relevant Professional Activities:
2019. “Nov, femmes immigrantes en visual” art workshop, UQAM University, Montreal, QC
2019. Oral history through visual art workshop, Lethbridge University, Alberta
2018. Special screening and discussion at the Senslab, Concordia
2018. Panel discussion, ASpace gallery, Toronto
2016. Artist talk and discussion at Espace Projet , Montreal.
2015. Collective performance and workshop at COHS
2015. Artist talk and discussion at 101 Gallery, Ottawa.
2014. Panel discussion, IEEE Canada International Humanitarian Technology Conference, Montreal,QC
2014. Artist presentation, UQAM University and at MFA Open media, Concordia
2014. Artist presentation Artist presentation (the International Humanitarian Conference) IHTC
2014. Visual art & story telling workshop at COHDS (Centre for Oral History&Digital Storytelling-Concordia University)
2014. Mentorship with emerging artist, invited by M.A.I gallery, 2013 and 2014
2013. Round table discussion invited by research chair Dr. Steven High:Oral History & the Visual Arts
2013. Meet the Artist, presentation at the Middle Eastern Club, New York
2013. Artist talk, Amelie A. Wallace Gallery at SUNY College at Old Westbury , New York
2013. Artist talk, Monthly NYC-DR Roundtable Breakfast, New York
2013. Artists’ Talks, Counter Memories: The Challenge of Restorative Justice Practices, CUNY Dispute
2013. Resolution Center John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, USA
2013. Artist talk, at the Centre For Ethnographic research and Exhibition in The Aftermath of Violence (CEREV) center and UQAM and community center
2013. Artist talk, Montréal, arts interculturels (M.A.I), Montréal, QC
2013. Artist talk, UQAM University, Montreal, QC
2013. Artist talk, Centre Communautaire Galeries du Parc, Montréal, QC
2009 - 2012. 8 Person Dinner, mentorship students Concordia Studio Arts
2009 - 2012. Teaching assistance, textile art, Concordia University, Montreal, QC
2009 - 2012. Round table discussion, Oral History and the Arts round table, Concordia university, In celebration of the first 5 years of The Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling
2009 - 2012. OBORO internship, Montreal, QC
2009 - 2012. Open Media Artist Talk, Concordia University, Montreal
2009 - 2012. Video screening & artist talk and discussion, International day for Sharing life Stories, Concordia University, Montreal, QC
2009 - 2012. Artistic Career Management Training session offered by Diversité Artistique Montréal (DAM) supported by the Canada Council of the Arts, Montreal, QC
2009 - 2012. Coffin/Nest, weaving workshop using recycled clothes, journee du la culture, Montreal, QC
2009 - 2012. Coffin/Nest, workshop/recycled clothes at Museum day, Stewart Hall Art Gallery Point Claire, QC
Collections:
Tracing Traces, 2011, video, The City collection, Dyarbakir, Turkey
Home songs,2011, video, private collection, Toronto
Walls talks 2, drawing on hand made papaer, 2012, private collection, Montreal
Walls talks 1, painting, 2008, private collection, Vancover
Child talks, painting, private collection, Montreal
Commissions:
2016. drawing and animation for documentary, Nadia Zouaoui for RCI TV
2016. visual creation and video work, 2015, for, traversée, theater project with Milena Buziak.
2014. Sing our dreams, multimedia online project LA Fabrique Culturelle, CALQ & Tele Qubec, Montreal, QC
2009. Memory/Traces of my body (video animation), Eclectic-2009, (M.A.I), Montreal, QC
Selected Publications, Printed Reviews, Articles and Interviews:
2018. Katrina Srigley, Stacey Zembrzycki, and Franca Iacovetta, eds., Beyond Women’s Words: Feminisms and the Practices of Oral History in the Twenty-First Century (London: Routledge, 2018)
2017. Behind Walls-maps, Exhibition Catalogue, City of Ottawa, print
2015. Imagining borders, Khadija Baker Liminalities: A Journal of Performance Studies Vol. 12, No. 1
2015. TV Rogers, when spirits awaken, at 101 Gallery, Ottawa
2014. LA Provance, Don’t leave me I am alive France, print.
2014. Matv, colouer d’ici, with Emilie Gauthier, QC
2014. Oral History Forum 34 (2014), Special Issue on Human Rights and Oral History, ISSN 1923-0567
2013. OldWestbury TV, local, OWTV Reporter, Rebecca Alexandre, New York TV
2013. Counter Memories, Fulbright, Brochure 1-4
2013. Portrait, Aljazeera TV, interview by Nadia Zouaoui 2013
2013. Counter Memories: The Challenge of Restorative Justice Practices, Caroline Kunzle, Fullbright blog
2013. Rudaw, Two Syrian Kurdish Artists: New Lives in Canada but Hearts in By Tessa Manuello
2013. Eassy by Stuart Killer, 011+92, exhibition Catalogue, print
2012. All our relations, 18th biennale of Sydney, 121,236
2012. All our relations, 18th biennale of Sydney, Moira Roths gleanings
2012. RojBas Kurdistan, Local Iraqi TV, discussion director Safin Ahmed
2012. CKUT “Caravan” radio interview October 17, interview by Rania Arabi